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CTS In Market Square
Representatives from Churches Together in Southwell setup a stall in the market square last Saturday morning.
Trisch commented
"Thank you to everyone who came to support the stall on Saturday and for all the things you bought to give away.
I think it was a success in that we met and chatted to many people and I certainly enjoyed being with you all and doing our best together to shine a light for Christ in Southwell."
The next CTS Forum Meeting is on May 11th 8.30 - 10.00 at Our Lady of Victories RC church - All welcome
The Maundy Thursday details are as follows:
The Last Supper
A reflective evening using the Jewish Pesach (Passover) Meal to reflect on the last supper and crucifixion of Jesus, culminating in Holy Communion. All Welcome.
Thursday 28th March
Service starts at 8pm, Southwell Methodist Church (Downstairs in the ‘Dowse Room’).
March 2024
CMJ UK celebrated its 215th birthday this year, you can find more information of the history of CMJ UK and all planned events at www.cmj.org.uk
The three-fold ministry of CMJ UK is Engagement, Education and Encouragement & Support.
Engagement:
CMJ UK has three Community Base Engagers who are actively involved in being a witness to the Jewish Communities of North London, Manchester and the Midlands. We are involved in regular street outreach, and attend New Age festivals (which often see
many Jewish people as well as other people groups who are seeking God). Oliver has redesigned the JET (Jewish Engagement Training) programme (see leaflet enclosed). This
is aimed at anyone who seeks positive ways to support and connect with their Jewish friends and neighbours.
Education:
We seek to encourage Churches to engage with the Jewish community around them and to support Christians into a deeper understanding of the Jewish Scriptures, the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. We also love to demonstrate, in practical ways, the revelation oy Yeshua contained within the Biblical feasts and
Festivals.
We arrange tours to Israel and information can be found on our website. Phil (a Trustee) has written a programme ‘Exploring Israel with Jesus’ without a five hour flight. This
currently is being delivered within Christian Retreat Centres but can be adapted for a weekend or day event within a Church.
We have a Bible Comes to Life Exhibition provides ‘Awe and Wonder moments’ to all
This gives a hands on experience of Biblical Life and experience the fascinating artefacts that illustrate the foundation of our Jewish and Christian Faith.
CMJ UK have an annual conference and this event gives support, encouragement, teaching and insight in to Jesus for all ages. We run a creche, a children’s ministry, youth ministry and adult ministry. We also oer discounts for church bookings, home
fellowships and youth groups.
Encouragement & Support:
We recognise the need to encourage and support Messianic Believers. We offer support to the work that CMJ Israel are doing among Messianic Believers in Jerusalem, the
Galilee and Tel Aviv. We are linked to the British messianic Jewish Alliance and can always find a way to connect with other like-minded Jewish Believers.
The team is still active and welcoming as many new residents to Southwell as it can. We have a number of packs still available, and are looking to recruit other people who can keep 'an eye open' for movers into their street. Estate Agents are still reluctant to pass on addresses when they know new people have moved in - even though no names and other details are requested. These details can be tracked on the electoral roll [although incomplete due to requested redactions] and the Land Registry [but this is now months out of date, so needs to be treated with considerable caution]. Peter Harris will run a search every few months for consideration of visits by the CTS volunteers, and a number of volunteers are actively calling on new residents - thank you.
It is the season of Lent and a Mass involving St Joseph's Ollerton, Holy Trinity , Newark is being held with a social gathering afterwards . we have Stations of the Cross every Friday and weekday Masses are on Tuesday, Thursday. At times a lay minister will provide Service of the Word in the week.
St Vincent de Paul group meets monthly and discuss visits to the elderly 9 all faiths and none ) , there are 14 beneficiaries on the list who are visited either in their homes or in Residential quarters , SVP have collected foreign coins to help underprivileged children, these coins and notes can be legally exchanged for cash through a vetted system via national SVP , some families were helped with their bills at Xmas providing food etc; SVP are planning to fund a week's holiday for a few children at a designated Camp in Mablethorpe run by SVP vetted volunteers, this Camp has been run for 50 years and is funded by SVP , whose headquarters are in London.
We have had regular and frequent meetings for CAFOD , this group has supported many projects throughout its existence and continues to do so : "cake for CAFOD" so named keeps in touch with the wider group and its variety of activities . An information sheet of current pressing issues is shared and this often leads to signing pertinent petitions and writing to MP'S about serious concerns. There is also spiritual advice and connections with other Catholic organisations.
There are very few children who attend Church as the Congregation is an older one , however there is opportunity for these few to receive Liturgy lessons in preparation for the sacraments .
The Church has many volunteers who are involved as teams in managing all the areas of the church , Sundays are attended by a nearly "full Church " , absence of youth is apparent..
There are now regular meetings with the other two Catholic Churches to promote working together and sharing events and Masses , two Priests serve the three Churches , Canon Michael O''Donoghue and Father Matthias Ejukwe ( Nigerian priest temporarily assisting for a long period ),
News leaflets go out weekly to all Parishioners and a website reflects same information .
'Tools for Africa' group
Since combining our two African charities 'Tools for self-reliance' and 'Tools with a Mission' along with the inclusion of our group into the CTS website, the 'Bramley' newspaper and the 'Southwell Life' magazine, I find that we have had a pleasing increase in donations of tools, in our locality
Newark Welcomes Refugees stall organised by STAND UP TO RACISM (Nottm & Lincoln groups) with help from Care4Calais, Nottm & Notts Refugee Forum and Refugee Roots. Supported by many groups & individuals in Newark, Lincoln and across the region. We hope to set up a local support group NEW (Newark Everyone Welcome). Myth-busting leaflets will be available and we look forward to having many interesting and productive conversations. There will be singing with Earth Songs (Newark) & Hope Sings Eternal (Louth); a poetry reading by Manjit Sahota (Poets Against Racism); and a Children's Art Activity. We will be happy to receive donations from those who can to Care4Calais Warm Coat appeal and sign-ups to NEW; STAND UP TO RACISM; Care4Calais; and local Refugee Support Groups. Please come along and say hello. It will be lovely to see you
https://www.facebook.com/events/764340698971918?ref=newsfeed
Report from CTiS Christian Aid Committee
On Sunday 25th February The Annual Ecumenical Lent Lunch took place in The State Chamber at The Minster..
82 people representing all the churches in Southwell attended a very convivial lunch. The Quiz, which focussed on Burundi, was won by a team from The Minster who were awarded a Fair Trade Prize, £677-50 was raised for Christian Aid.
We are also very sad to announce the death of our Treasurer for 10 years, dear Helen Charnley who passed away very peacefully on Monday 26th February. Helen worked so hard for our group and her friendship and support will be greatly missed.
Annual Christian Aid Service at The Minster: Wednesday 8th May at 7.30pm. All warmly welcome.
Christian Aid Week 12th - 18th May. New volunteers are required to deliver envelopes, count money and join the committee please.
We have been without a Minister for a year now and are not actively looking for a new one at the moment although we are about to hold an Opinion Sharing Meeting to discuss the way forward. We have just completed a monthly series looking at the Heart of Leadership. We have recently had a visit from Jericho Road, learning more about their work in Nottingham and we have also held a well attended Ladies Breakfast. Our home groups continue to run each week, as does Renew Wellbeing - a place where it's ok not to be ok. Our fortnightly and monthly activities continue as usual.
We originally began with a group of people who had come together
to pray weekly for Southwell and the UK, approximately 27 years
ago
We started meeting on a Sunday with just 13 people in the WI Hall,
and moved to various other locations over the years, including
Lowes Wong Junior School, the Horological Museum in Upton, then
leasing our own Centre above Gascoignes on Church Street for
several years. When that became too expensive, we then moved to
the Minster Centre across the road, followed by Thurgarton Village
Hall for many years. The fellowship grew with many people joining
us from a radius of approximately 25 miles. Our pastors were
Warren and Jolene Young from New Zealand and the USA and they
stayed for a number of years before returning to the States, when
Michael and Barb Martin became our leaders. After a few years we
began to meet in homes and currently meet at Michael and
Barbara’s.
Our main focus was, and still is, Worship and Intercession and our
vision was to become a hub which reached out to small groups in
the surrounding villages. Two other pillars of our Constitution are
Israel and Evangelism. For many years we held a weekly prayer
meeting called “7:14”, taken from 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people
who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and
seek My face…”. This was held in the Methodist Church Upper room
and all the churches in the town were invited and regularly updated.
7:14 Prayer still takes place every Thursday morning at Michael and
Barbara’s, followed by Bible Study.
We also held a monthly meeting called “Shofar” which focussed on
teaching Christians more about God’s love of Israel and His eternal
promises to them and the Church. Again, all Southwell churches
were invited but mostly people from far and wide across 3 counties
attended for many years. We have now passed this ministry over to
CMJ UK, (The Churches Ministry Amongst the Jewish People), based
in Farns?eld, and it has now become a successful quarterly Zoom
meeting with a variety of excellent speakers.
Pat (Jamie) was a part of SCC for many years, particularly with her
involvement with the Fair Trade Movement. She set up the
Turnaround Charity shop, funded by Sherwood Forest Christian
Centre in Blidworth, and recruited many volunteers from all the
Southwell churches, and installed Traidcraft crafts and wholefoods in
the shop. She worked together with many others to help Southwell
become a Fair Trade Town.
Michael and Barbara were involved with the setting up and running
of Newark and Southwell Street Pastors and were out patrolling the
streets/parks on Friday and Saturday evenings until things
quietened down considerably in both towns and the Street Pastors
were no longer needed.